“What is the sin unto death?”

You must have heard of the “unforgivable sin,”…The “sin that leads to death“ is, in context, a sin committed by a Christian , not an unbeliever, and so is not the so-called “unforgivable sin,” the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Christ said the latter sin cannot be forgiven,

(Matthew 12:32)

32 “Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come”..

(John 16:9).9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.  

“ either in this world or in the world to come” It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to convict unbelievers of sin, and that sin is “that it refuses to believe in me”.

If a person irrevocably rejects Christ, even after he fully understands the evidences of His deity, His substitutionary death with its offer of salvation, and the awful consequences of eternity without Him, then he (Hebrews 10:29).

“have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us”. In effect, he has put his faith in Satan rather than Christ, and there is nothing more that God’s Holy Spirit can–or will–do. This is the truly unforgivable sin.…

But I am not talking about that sin thismorning

…The sin that leads to deathdoes not refer to the unforgivable sin, which yields eternal spiritual death. That sin is, ultimately, refusal to accept Jesus Christ as Savior (John 3:36).…No other sin prevent at least the possibility of repentance, faith and forgiveness. Therefore, the “sin that leads to death” can only refer to such flagrant sin on the part of a Christian that God’s chastisement finally becomes physical death…

Of all the interpretations out there, none seem to answer all the questions concerning this verse.…The best interpretation may be found by comparing this verse to what happened to Ananias and Sapphira

Acts 5:1–10

Ananias and Sapphira

5 But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. 2 He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.

3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. 4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”

5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. 6 Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.

7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.8 Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?”

“Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.”

9 And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.”

10 Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

…The Christian can persist in some known sin, though not the sin of total unbelief or wilful apostasy (a true Christian will not commit that kind of sin).

If a believer deliberately continues to practice ungodliness in life or doctrine, however, refusing to repent, not even responding to God’s chastening discipline see

This is an example of such a sin that the believer can do continuously and knowingly …When you take Holy Communion and you have not confessed the sins in your life at the time you run the risk of being judged by God

1 Corinthians 11:27-33…27So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.

 31But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.… 33 So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other.…This verse defines the“judgment”of 11:29

We now come to one of the most difficult verses in the New Testament to interpret.…1 John 5:16…16 “If you see a Christian brother or sister sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it”.

The “sin unto death” “Sin that leads to death”is willful, continuous, unrepentant sin. God has called His children to holiness

1 Peter 1:16

16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.…Lev 11:44-45and Lev 19:2 and Lev 20:7.

God corrects them when we sin. We are not “punished” for our sin in the sense of losing salvation or being eternally separated from God, yet we are disciplined.

Revelation 3:19

19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.

Hebrews 12:5-115And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,  “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you.… 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves,  and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” …7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?… 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.

9Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?… 10For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. …11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way..…asphysical illness or death, which is intended to restore the sinning Christian to save him from ultimate condemnation(11:32

1 John 5:16says there comes a point when God can no longer allow a believer to continue in unrepentant sin. When that point is reached, God may decide to take the life of the stubbornly sinful believer. …

The “death” is physical death. God at times purifies His church by removing those who deliberately disobey Him. The apostle John makes a distinction between the “sin that leads to death” and the “sin that does not lead to death.” Not all sin is dealt with the same way because not all sin rises to the level of the “sin that leads to death.”……InActs 5:1–10and1 Corinthians 11:28–32, God dealt with intentional, calculated sin by taking the physical life of the sinner.

If you persist, then the only recourse of the Lord may be to send physical death, although not eternal spiritual death, for such a person is delivered to Satan

This is perhaps also what Paul meant by “the destruction of the flesh” in.

(1 Corinthians 5:5).5 Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns

This is a fearful prospect even for the believer and should be a sober warning against persistence in any known sin. (1 Corinthians 3:15).15 “But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.”

… This is perhaps also what Paul meant by “the destruction of the flesh” in.…1 Corinthians 5:5).5 Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns… …John says that we should pray for Christians who are sinning, and that God will hear our prayers. However, there may come a time when God decides to cut short a believer’s life due to unrepentant sin. Prayers for such an unheeding person will not be effective.……God is good and just, and He will eventually make us “a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” .

Ephesians 5:27

27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.

To further that end, God chastens His children. May the Lord preserve us from the hard-heartedness that would cause us to commit the

“sin that leads to death”………